Boston Dynamics Tests Spot to Tackle Delivery’s Last 50 Feet

Warehouses and delivery vehicles are increasingly automated, but the final 50 feet from curb to doorstep still depend heavily on human drivers navigating driveways, stairs and uneven ground. Last-mile delivery accounts for more than half of total supply-chain costs, while U.S. carriers spend an estimated $90 billion annually on that leg, according to industry figures cited by Boston Dynamics. Automating this labor-intensive step is therefore a critical test of whether physical AI can deliver commercial returns outside controlled environments.

Boston Dynamics is testing Spot as a delivery assistant that rides in a van and carries parcels to customers’ doors, according to a July 21, 2026 report. Drivers place packages on a conveyor payload mounted on the four-legged robot, which can negotiate curbs, stairs, gravel and ice; the company demonstrated its precision by delivering a carton of eggs. The pilot targets 200 packages a day, five days a week. With Spot priced at roughly $75,000, however, the key question is whether delivery volumes can justify the hardware cost at scale.